Washington Stable Operator Arrested in Alleged Horse Theft

Caitlyn Kennedy is the stable operator who reported the alleged theft of a boarder’s horse from her Washington farm last month. Now, she is behind bars.Kennedy was arrested Wednesday, according to Thurston County Sheriff officials, for her role in the crime. She faces felony theft of livestock and criminal conspiracy charges.

Detective Mike Hirte says Kennedy didn’t act alone, “she had a female accomplice who will be arrested once she recovers from her injuries from a recent accident.” He says both women have confessed.

“I’ve learned not to trust anyone and document everything,” says first time horse owner and horse theft victim Mandy Fischer-Williams.

She just got her horse named Hellfire back after it was allegedly stolen by the women. The two are seen here when they were reunited after the ordeal.

On March 15, Kennedy reported that a deputy and two women came to her barn and “seized” the boarder’s un-registered quarter horse. They allegedly provided Kennedy with documents, just not the correct documents to seize a horse under Washington law. The mare was gone. Authorities said initially there may be someone posing as law enforcement since they did not remove the mare.

Fischer-Williams, tells us, “at first I believed Catilyn’s story, it seemed believable, but then I got a gut feeling something wasn’t right.”

According to Hirte, the scenario was a scam, “Caitlyn continued to perpetuate the fabrication with our deputies. She could have stopped it at anytime.”

Hellfire was found at an Olympia boarding stable. Hirte says the mare was a little underweight and her white star was allegedly dyed and possibly cut.

The mare was just released from evidence. She will be kept at an undisclosed location until the case concludes, according to Fischer-Williams, who says she is glad to have her back. “She’s an unbroke horse, she’s a horse, not special, not high quality, but I love her, she’s everything to me.”

Kennedy pleaded not guilty to the charges late Thursday.

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